Aniverse: Will's Return
by goreanokie
Summary: THis is my first attempt at a fanfic and i hope you all enjoy it. A little background. After Willy had returned home, the Toad Wars continued for another 5 years in the Aniverse. However, 15 years have passed here on Earth
1. Chapter 1

This is my first attempt at a fanfic. I hope you enjoy it. So here's a little background for you. It's been 5 years since Willy DuWitt left the Aniverse and the crew of the Righteous Indignation. 5 years in the Aniverse. 15 years in the Universe.

Will sat at his desk in his apartment, turning his computer on and putting down his glass of soda. He looked around and yawned, "Alright, Will. Let's get this show on the road," he said, popping his knuckles and entering his password into his login screen.

He double taked over to the crystal Jenny gave him so long ago. He furrowed his brow in confusion as it cracked and flickered on and off, looking at the doorway to his proton accelerator as it flickered on. He smiled, belting on his knife and flashlight, "Oh, it's gonna' be great to see them again. Hang on, guys. I'm coming."

And he stepped through.

When he arrived into the engine room of the Indignation he was shocked, confused. Severe damage marred the floor as the lights dimly flickered. If they worked at all. He crouched down and looked around for the lockbox kept in here just for him. As luck would have it, it had been pried open but the pistol remained in place and intact. He took it and made his way out of the room. As his eyes adjusted to the low light, he looked around, "Buck. Buck, are you here?" he whispered. He wasn't sure if there were any toads nearby, so he dared not turn on his flashlight and give away his position. He crept along the room and heard a low growl behind him. He turned around to see a huge shadow leap at hip. Instinctively he stepped toward the shadow and turned its own momentum against it, flipping it over his shoulder and putting the barrel of the pistol on its forehead.

Knowing his stealth was compromised, he flicked on the flashlight to shine on his assailant. A shocked look washed upon his face as he looked upon the would be attacker, "Bruiser?"

Then, as if on cue he heard 5 clicks. He knew these clicks. He knew them well. From the shadows stepped a four armed Kanopsian. One organic blue eye. One mechanical red one, "Wrong ship, mate. Definitely wrong time," he said holding up for laser pistol, all aimed straight at Will. Then, a sight that chilled him to his core stepped out of the shadows: Bucky O'Hare, scarred and with a cold look in his eye.

"Stun him," he said as he turned and walked away.

"Deadeye, no. Don't, it's m-"

And then there was darkness as all four weapons fired at once.

When he came to, he had the worst headache he could remember, "Oh...That hurt." He tried to rub his head, only to find his hands had been cuffed and chained to the floor. He looked around, seeing Bucky giving him a cold, dead, stare, "Is this necessary, Buck?"

"I'm not sure. I'm trying to find out if you're a Toad spy. Or some kind of freelance merc here to make a payday on my corpse."

"It's me, Buck. It's Willy. Willy DuWitt."

"Impossible. He was a kid when he left here 5 years ago."

"It's been 15 for me, man." He looked around, "What happened?"

"What do you mean what happened?" The green rabbit asked, crossing his arms.

"I mean what happened. When I went home, you were winning the Toad Wars."

"Well, we lost. Your friends took two of mine and killed one of them."

He slowly stood up, fighting against the chains that held him down, terror washing over him, "Who?"

Bucky furrowed his brow, "You really don't know do you?"

"Just tell me. Please," Will pleaded.

"Blinky and Jenny. They have Jenny captive somewhere. I don't know where."

Will fell to his knees, "Blinky...no," hearing the death of his mechanical friend forced a tsunami of loss to flood over him. Tears poured down his face, "I'm sorry, Blinky. I'm sorry."

The Beetlegeusian Beserker Baboon walked in, his left mechanical foot clanging against the metal floor. A sense of regret and guilt washed over Will, "He knows my name, Captain. He knows me."

"Bruiser, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you. It's me. Will," he said to his large friend, trying to prove his identity to them.

"Prove it," Bruiser replied.

Will took in a deep breath and let out a thundering Beetlegeusian battle cry, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Bruiser blinked and recognition washed over his face, "Willy? Wow, little buddy. You're not little anymore," he said smiling.

"Yeah. I grew up," he said with a smirk. He looked at Bucky, "Bucky, it's me. Please. Uncuff me."

Bucky just stared at him for a long while, "If you're lying, I'll personally throw you out an airlock. Got it."

Will swallowed hard and nodded as he held up his hands. After the restraints were removed, he tried to give his friends a hug. Only Bruiser accepted, "If I am, I'll jump out the airlock and save you the trouble."

For the first time since his arrival, Bucky smiled, "Welcome back, crewman Duwitt."

Will smiled in return, "Good to be back."

Somewhere, in a dark prison cell on a base known to the elite few of the Toad Empire, an Aldebaranian woman, battered, starving, and weakened feels, for the first time in the years since her capture, hope. She uses some of what little strength she has left and lifts her head up and whispers, "Willy."


	2. Chapter 2

Will and the crew of the Righteous Indignation made their way to the bridge, "So gimme the good news and the bad news. How did this all happen?"

"Well..." Bucky responded, "The Toad Empire discovered the location of the S.P.A.C.E. headquarters and every single one of our shipyards. Took them all out within a year. We were fighting a losing battle for the next 3. Last year, what remained of the UAF surrendered."

"Uh..." Will was shocked. How could so much happen in just a short space of time, "So what's the good news?"

"That _**was**_ the good news."

"So...What's the bad news?"

"We have 15 ships with no hope of backup, no backing from the UAF, and, my personal favorite, there's a KoC order on everyone against the empire," the green rabbit responded, crossing his arms, "So, how do you think we'll get out of this one?"

Will rubbed his lips for a moment, "Well, the first two things we need are more ships and more fighters."

He thought about it for a long time, "You still have my old suit?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Will grinned, "I have a plan. But...You're not going to like it."

"A plan is better than what we've been going with for the last year. What else are we going to need?"

"An energy field dampener and the location of one of their prisoner ships."

"Why-wait...No, that's suicide!" he looks at Will wide-eyed.

"It'll get us both the things we need."

Bruiser and Deadeye looked at each other confused. And as one, "What's suicide?"

"I turn you guys in, put you in a prison cell with everyone else, find an armory, and get everyone out and armed."

"That's suicide," Bruiser replied.

"Let's do it," Deadeye responded.

"Look at it this way, Buck. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Can you think of a more desperate time?"

Bucky thought for a long time, "Alright. But we've got to act fast once we're there. Once they know we're free and armed, they're going to be calling for backup. And we're going to need to get the tracker fast."

"Alright. So, here's how it's going to go down," Will said as he began to lay out his plan.

An hour later, Will looked at his friends, "So...We all know our parts?"

Everyone nodded.

"Ok. Let's go take the fight to them. For our fallen. For our captured. For Justice."

"FOR JUSTICE!" The rest of the crew exclaimed.

For hours, they scanned for prison ships. They hoped against hope. They all knew the risks if they failed. But they also knew the reward if they succeed.

BLIP! A ping on their scanners indicated their target, so they hurried to either their salvation. Or their doom.


	3. Chapter 3

We left our friends with them planning their next move against the tyranny of the Toad Empire. Will has come with a very risky plan of attacking a prisoner barge. Upon finding one on their sensors, they set their course and make their move.

Bruiser knocked on Will's door, holding a case with his other hand, "Little buddy? You awake?"

"Yeah, Bruiser, I'm up. What's up?" He responded as he open the door to his quarters.

"I have your suit," he said as he held up the case, "You need to get ready and we have everything you asked for."

"Awesome," he took the case and opened it, putting the Beetlegeusian space suit on, "Funny. I remember this thing being bigger," he chuckled as he twisted the helmet on with an audible click, "You ready? It'll be one helluva gamble."

"If 'helluva' means big, it certainly will be. But I've got faith in you. Are you ready?"

"Let's do this."

Armed and dressed in his old, and new, disguise, he set out to do the one thing he never wanted to do. The one thing he would rather die than do. He put restraining shackles on all of his friends, setting course for the prisoner barge.

As they neared, the comms light lit up, signaling that an incoming transmission awaited them.

"Unknown craft, you are nearing the property of the Toad Empire. State your name and your purpose or be prepared to face our wrath."

Will turned on the microphone, "This is the bounty hunter Jack..." he thinks for a quick moment, "Mehoff. I've come to collect a bounty."

"Well, Mr. Mehoff, who do you have?" The toad on the other end of the communique asked.

"Bucky O'Hare."

There was a long silence. If they opened fire, the plan was over before it begins. If Will's taken prisoner with them, that would be a slightly better outcome but still would end in their death. Everyone knew it.

"Well, Mr. Mehoff. Let's talk business. We're opening our shuttle bay doors for you now."

"Acknowledged, Mehoff out." he flipped off the comms breathed a sigh of relief, "Ok. Easy part over. You all know your parts. Let's do what we do best and get the job done."

Will piloted the Indignation into the shuttle bay and landed with only a few mistakes. He drew his rifle and opened the cargo bay doors. When the toads came into view, he fought his first instinct of shooting them with everything he had. Instead, he shoved Deadeye down the ramp, "Get movin'. The sooner you get off my ship, the sooner I can get paid."

Deadeye glared back at him but acquiesced and made his way down the ramp, followed by Bucky and Bruiser, "You just wait and see, mate. Ye'll get your just desserts."

"I'm counting on it. Mate," Will replied and made his way with them, "Now. Who's in charge here?"

"That would be me, Mr. Mehoff," A voice called from the side as a Toad with a few ribbons on his chest and golden tadpoles on his shoulders, "I'm Captain Leapover. Pleasure to meet you. So, tell me. How did you manage to capture the biggest bounty in the entire Toad Empire."

"I would tell you. But I'd have to kill you," Will replied as matter-of-factly as he could muster, trying to show confidence.

The captain looked at him for a moment, clearly shaken, "W-well...Then I retract my question."

"Good call."

"Well, let's head to my office while we get these...things in the brig."

The crew were pushed and shoved all the way down to the holding cells, then corralled into one of the pens with a few others. All of them recognized them and all hope left their face.

Bucky winked. And confusion set in his cellmates' faces. Then hope. And finally, determination, without a word ever being spoken.

After several hours, the guards left the cells and prisoners to their own devices. Almost immediately, Bruiser took the cuffs up to his mouth and whispered, "Oscar Mike."

Bucky did the same as the rest looked at them in confusion. Their only response was a shrug as the cuffs fell off, "Alright, now we just have to wait a couple of-"

Almost as if on cue, the forcefields of all the cells deactivated. Bucky quickly turned around and addressed the freed captives, "Quick and quiet, everyone. We need to get to the arm-"

A blue light began to pulse down the hallway, "-ory...Uh...Ok, good work, Will," he said as he and the entire prisoner's hall followed the light, as quickly and quietly as they can.

They made it with no one around, flooding the armory and arming themselves with the Toads' own weapons.

When they came out, the corridors began to fill with their targets.

They didn't have training. They didn't have armor. However, they were angry. Very, very, very angry. They showed no mercy and took the ship by storm.

It took over 3 hours of relentless fighting to take the barge, but the day was won. But not without cost. Heavy cost. But every one of them was willing and ready to pay for it. Beserking all the way to the bridge.

When they arrived, they found Will Standing amongst the fallen bodies of the bridge crew. He quickly turned his sights on the newcomers and, realizing who it was, lowered his weapon. Bucky walked up to his longtime friend, "Good work. Especially lighting the way to the armory. That was a nice touch."

Will took off his helmet and looked at Bucky with an obvious look of embarassment on his face, "I...was never able to install the inhibitors, Buck. I have no idea how you got out. According to their manifest there were 108 prisoners. How many survived?"

"..."

"Buck? How many?"

"24."

"Oh damn. But we won. Now the obvious question: who's helping us?"

"Who's helping us?" Will's voice came over a speaker deep within the ship as a computer monitor flashed on. Then words appeared on the screen as if typed by a ghost.

 ** _Calamity and woe! Bucky and the others are being hunted! Toad Borg is Coming!_**


	4. Chapter 4

We left our team barely victorious on the prison freighter, having lost nearly 3/4 of the prisoners in the battle. To make matters worse, they're unaware that Toadborg is coming for them. Personally. But someone on the ship is helping them...

"We barely have a skeleton crew, Will. We need to get out of here," Buck stated matter-of-factly. His shirt and jacket were laying on a nearby table as he wrapped his ribs with a mesh bandage. The bandage itself was made strong metal wires worked into a small net and surrounded by cloth. Once he was done, he winced in pain as he re-donned his uniform.

"I know, Buck. Which is why we're heading to the rim worlds. Those that were hit hardest from the attacks. They suffered the most. They're the ones with everything to gain and nothing to lose," Will replied as he laid in a course and punched the hyperdrive as fast as it would go.

"Willy, meboy, are you out of your mind?" Deadeye looked at him, flabbergasted.

Bruiser grinned, "Let's do it."

Bucky looked at the Berserker, "Oh not you too," he said as an expression of surprise washed over his face for a moment. Then one of resignation, "Alright. Not like we have a whole lot of options right now anyway."

When they arrived to the outer systems, they went planet by planet asking for volunteers. Little by little, the crew was replinished. Most had a working knowledge around a freighter and a few even had expertise.

So the crew of the now named Righteous Vengeance laid in a course back toward the freighter's original destination: the prison the Toads have nicknamed "The Abyss"

"BUCKYBUCKYBUCKYBUCKY!" A mechanical voice boomed through the ships internal comm systems. All of them, "CALAMITYANDWOE! WEMUSTGONOW!"

"Calamit-" Will paused, "Blin-...Blinky? Is that you?"

"...HELLO,WILLYNOWGOINGBYWILL," The voice responded.

"BLINKY!" The friends exclaimed.

"Hey, Little Buddy. It's good to hear from you. But umm...Could you slow down a bit?"

"...IS THIS BETTER, BRUISER?" Blinky asked.

"Yeah, lots."

"We must stop now and turn around. He's coming!"

Alarms started going off all over the bridge, "Toadborg."

Bucky visibly paled, "And here I was hoping to avoid him a bit longer," Bucky looked at Will, "He's the reason why Bruiser is a couple biological limbs shy."

Will visibly paled.

"Prison Freighter 14386, This is Fleet Marshal Toadborg. Stand down and prepare for an inspection. A personal. Inspection," Toadborg's voice came over the comms as his destroyer came in from hyperspace.

"Fleet Marshal, we're having difficulty with our docking clamps. You'll need to find another way over, sir," Bucky responded almost immediately, having an excuse prepared for such an occasion.

Toadborg laughed

Everyone looked at each other , confused.

"Come now, O'Hare. I'm sure you can think of a better excuse than that," the cyborg finally stated.

Everyone froze. Their plan depended on deception.

"No," Bucky responded, "This freighter is far too expensive for you to just blow out of the sky. So that means that we can attack you without fear of our lives."

"Toad Empire 682," Toadborg responded. And all of the weapons and defensive capabilities shut down.

"I'll let myself in," the cyborg stated as a large metallic clang echoed throughout the ship.

"He's thrown himself against our hull and has pried open a hatch!" One of the volunteers stated as he looked over a console.

"Where?"

"Cargo bay 3."

Bucky nodded and headed out. Will started to follow him when more and more clangs were heard.

"THEY'RE BOARDING THE SHIP, WILL! CALAMITY AND WOE!"

"You heard him. Let's get these sons of bitches off our ship!"

The crew cheered and prepared for the fight of their lives. And for the fight for their children's freedom.

For every inch the toads took upon the stolen ship, they lost 15 people. The crew had grown intimately aware of the freighter's layout, using its nooks and crannies for vantage points and ambushes. Slowly and surely, all of the toads that boarded had either died or fled. All. But one.

Toadborg looked upon bucky and began to pace back and forth, "You just don't know when you're beat do you, O'Hare?"

Bucky grinned, "Nope. I'm still breathing."

"Let's amend that, shall we?" Toadborg stated as he charged toward his prey. Bucky easily avoided his slashes as he slided beneath the cyborg's hands. Stomping after the green rabbit, he only managed to dent the durasteel floor. Roaring in frustration, he opened fire on Bucky from his finger blasters.

Bucky winced as he rolled out of the way. Rising to a knee, he kept his gaze on the 8 foot tall killer.

"Ahh...You're injured," Toadborg stated, "This almost makes it not worth it. Almost," he stated as he jetted forward, bring a knee up toward O'Hare's midsection.

Elsewhere on the ship, Will ran toward Cargo Bay 3, "Hold on, Buck. I'm coming."


	5. Chapter 5

Toadborg jetted toward Bucky, knee up to slam against his ribs. With a little amount of pained effort and a lot of luck, he managed to get out of the way. Only to be met with his foot flying into his stomach. Bucky couldn't breathe. But still had enough presence of mind to know to roll out of the way when the foot retracted and came in for another attack.

The cyborg pulled his knee out of the hole it just made and he begins to laugh, "If I had known it was this easy to beat you, I would've done it years ago, O'hare. Just to take you out of your misery. And mine."

Wheezing, Bucky smirked, "I'm...not dead...yet," he ran alongside a wall as he drew his trusty blaster and opened fire at the nearly 7 foot tall machine, his shots harmless charring its plating but nothing more.

Toadborg dashed toward Bucky only for him to dive out of the way and send him crashing through the wall, through the atmospheric containment field on the other side and into space.

"Anyone ever tell you...not to run through a cargo bay door?" Bucky asked as painfully stood up and headed toward the bay's entrance to meet up with the rest of the crew.

Will ran as fast as his legs would carry him to Cargo Bay 4. At his healthiest, Bucky could easily outmaneuver and outsmart Toadborg. But slowed by 2 cracked ribs and 1 broken one? He didn't know. He brought his rifle up to the ready as he made his way inside. Only to find Bucky walking toward him with a gaping hole behind him. Bucky smiled. Will returned it.

Only for something small, metallic, and fast to spark off one of the edges of the door and strike Bucky in the back. Blood splashed upon Will's helmet as a shocked and confused Bucky fell to his knees, "BUCKY! NOOOOO!" Will exclaimed as he ran to his friends side, "It's gonna' be ok, Buck. I got you. I got you," He turned on his internal comms, "Blinky, I need the fastest route from here to sickbay. NOW! Bucky's been shot."

The silence seemed to go on forever.

"Lighting up the fastest route in white, Will," the robot responded.

Will picked Bucky up and sprinted toward Sickbay, telling his friend to stay awake and to fight the entire way. When he arrived, he set him down as gently and quickly as he could. He turned to shout for a doctor, but Bucky grabbed him and pulled him close to him.

Weakly, he whispered, "You're...you're captain now. For...Justice," Bucky's hand fell off of Will as his eyes lifelessly stared at the ceiling.

"No no no no no nononononononono! I NEED A DOCTOR OVER HERE NOW!" Will yelled as he took off his helmet. He stared at his friend as the medical staff rushed over and tried to revive their fallen captain.

Then. The doctor stopped trying and looked at will, begging for forgiveness in his eyes, "Time of death: 0852 hours. I'm so sorry, Will."

Will stumbled and fell back against a wall, sliding down it as he cried.

"Will DeWitt, What are your orders? We need to go!"

No response.

"WILL!"

"Get us...Get us out of here. We need to hide and assess the damage," Will responded, tears still streaming down his face as he pushed himself off the ground. He felt the unfamiliar pull and hum of the superspace engines firing them off to safety.

Will sat in the Captain's Quarters, sobs wracking through his body at the loss of one of, if not the, closest friend he's ever had. No one bothered him for hours. Not a knock. Not a voice on the other side of the door. Nothing.

When there were no more tears left to cry, he stood up, setting down the picture of the original crew of the _Indignation_. He stepped out onto the bridge and nodded, "Put me through to the rest of the ship," with a beep, the channel was open.

"This is Will DeWitt. For those that don't know me, I'm the kid you probably heard stories about from Bucky. The Toad Empire has taken too much from us. Too many good people, too many innocent children. Too many planets. Now, they've taken...Bucky O'Hare..." He let that news sink in. Shock, fear, and desperation began to wash upon every face he saw, "Well I got 2 words for them. No. More. No more will we be forced to watch as parents bury their children. No more will we watch our brothers be turned into slave labor. No more will we be force to sit idly by as they ravage planets. No. More. The line is drawn HERE! I'm not going to sit idly by. I'm not going to go quietly into the night! And it's long past time that the Empire feel OUR pain, OUR loss, OUR fear! I'M DONE COWERING! ON THIS DAY, I VOW TO EACH AND EVERY PERSON OPPRESSED BY THE TOAD EMPIRE, I WILL END THEIR TYRANNY OR I WILL DIE FIGHTING! IT'S NO LONGER ABOUT TRYING TO FIND PEACE WITH THOSE SONS OF BITCHES! I'M GOING TO WIPE! THEM! FROM! HISTORY! SO I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU ALL! ARE! YOU! READY!?"

The bridge exploded with roars of unison rage. He knew their answer, "AND TO THOSE THAT HELP THE EMPIRE, I GIVE YOU YOUR ONLY WARNING! RUN!"

Another explosion of rage, "Now, let's got this ship ready for battle and go kick their ass!"

"AYE AYE, CAPTAIN!" the entire crew roared as one. Will nodded.

"Toadborg, you have news for me?" Komplex asked to his kneeling commander.

"Yes, Komplex. Bucky O'Hare is dead. The restistance will crumble any day now. I shot him myself"

Komplex laughed in triumph. Oblivious to the storm of rage that awaited them.


	6. Chapter 6

It's been a year since they narrowly escaped the clutches of Toadborg. A year since Will lost his best friend, his brother, to that sadistic machine. But that year hasn't been wasted. The crew of the Righteous Vengeance have been, buying, trading, and stealing parts from everywhere to turn the prison barge into a devastating battle cruiser. Engineers worked around the clock, nonstop, fortifying ship's defenses, adding more cannons, and converting the cell cargo bays into hangers and ammunition storage. Every cargo bay, except for one. That cargo bay was left untouched. Even the hole in the door wasn't repaired. Only the edges were ground down as to not cut anyone carelessly walking by it.

The rest of the crew practiced battle drills, first-aid, and fighter pilot drills. Everyone was a fighter. Everyone was a healer. And everyone wanted to see Toadborg pay for all he's done. Or die trying. They waited patiently for the day that they fought back.

That day has arrived.

"All stations, check in," Will called in over the comm system.

"Weapons up," called in one station.

"Communications up," called in another.

"Helm up."

"Engines up."

"Shields ready"

"Anti-targeting and cyber-warfare ready"

"Hangar 1 up"

"Hangar 2 up"

"Hangar 3 up"

"Hangar 4 up"

"Hangar 5 up"

"Hangar 6 up"

Will nodded hearing every department was ready for war, "Alright, everyone. This is it. This is what we've planned for. What we've worked so hard for. And now we make those warted bastards pay for EVERYTHING! BATTLES STATIONS!"

Everyone sat or stood at their post, poised and ready to strike at the very tyrants that have oppressed the known Aniverse for the past several years. The fighter pilots ran preflight checks on their individual fighters. The hangar crew ran hangar checks and made sure everyone was ready to deploy all at once at a moment's notice.

Alright, you rusty son of a bitch. Time for payback Will thought to himself as he slid his trusty knife into its sheath, "Indignation, we are a go whenever you're ready. Don't worry. We have you're back."

"Understood, mate. We won't let you down. Righteous Indignation out," Deadeye's voice said over the comms as the ship left the hangar bay. A year in the planning. A year of scheming. Comes down to today. As Bucky's old ship jetted off, Will's cold, calculated rage begin to bubble just below the surface.

"Helm, after a 10 count, take us in. Tactical, the second they're in range, lock on. All fighters, stand by. We'll have a helluva fight on our hands. So as soon as you get a green light, you floor it out of the hangars. Cyber-warfare, hack their systems and try and shut them down. At the very least, get their flight records. Jenny's location may be where he goes to the most," Will said with a commanding tone.

After the count ended, the helmsman, Will can never remember his name, piloted the battle cruiser into the system in which Deadeye waited for him.

Deadeye grinned as the refitted cruiser spaced in. It wasn't as big as Toadborg's but it matched his firepower. In some ways, beating it. So he knew they had a chance. How great a chance remained to be seen.

Will took in a deep breath as his ship spaced in. Face to face with the end of Bucky's life. He looked at the Comms officer and nodded. After a brief moment he heard a beep and the officer nodded back.

"This is Captain William DeWitt of the Righteous Vengeance. You are harboring someone. Someone who's killed someone very close to me. You have 2 options. 1: Surrender Toadborg to us and leave this sector. Never to return again. or 2: Suffer his fate and die in terror. You have 10 seconds to decide," he looks to Comms who cut the transmission and opened the in ship communications, "This is the captain. All hands, get read-"

Alarms started blaring all over the bridge. No one needed be told what to do. All the fighters were already jetting out of their holds. The cannons were locking onto key locations on Toadborg's ship and preparing to fire. With his rage finally allowed to cut loose he bellowed, "FIRE AT WILL!"


	7. Chapter 7

The ship rocked as volley after volley of weapons fire cascaded against the shields, "Status report!" Will bellowed.

"Shields at 84%, Captain!" The bridge engineer replied, rapidly tapping on buttons at his console and scanning over his monitor.

"And the hull armor?"

The engineer smirked, "Not even scratching the paint, Captain. You were right."

Will watched as the 6 dozen small fighters make quick work of the Toadborg's shuttle fighters. It did him proud to see how seriously the pilots took their training, backing each other up and baiting the enemies into traps.

"Captain DeWitt, unknown object flying toward Cargo Bay 4. I think he took your bait, sir," one of the tactical officers stated as he kept a close eye on the scanners.

"Good. If I don't come back, keep fighting and make sure there's nothing left of that ship."

"Consider it done."

Will got up out of his chair and headed toward the elevator, grabbing his assault rifle along the way. Right before he got there, Bruiser grabbed his arm and turned him around, handing him a toolbelt with a knife, a plasma cutter, and a remote hinge blaster on it. Just enough explosives in case, he met with a stuck door, "You were always a fixer, Buddy. Fix this."

Will took the belt with a nod and put it on with an audible click. As he got into the elevator, he double checked the chamber and the magazine to make sure he was ready. He stepped into the elevator and closed his eyes, "One way or the other, Buck. I'm finishing this with Toadborg. Either he goes down. Or I join ya'. Either way, he's done."

As the elevator chime dinged, the doors slid open. So did his eyes. Will stepped out into the corridor and combat walked to the cargo hold. The very same that ended Bucky's life. As the cargo bay doors open, there stood his target. Toadborg. His blue eyes burned at him with an ice cold flame.

Toadborg chuckled, "Now what could you possible be angry for. We brought stability to the Aniverse."

"You killed my best friend, asshole. And for that, I'm gonna' make sure you never make it off this ship alive," WIll replied with hate and disdain in his voice. He clicked the rifle to semi automatic.

"What are you talking about? There's no way a-" Toadborg remained silent for a while, "You're the boy. DeWitt."

"Yup. Will DeWitt. And it's gonna' be me that ends your metallic ass."

"We shall see, DeWitt. We shall see," Toadborg states as he rocket dashes toward the young man.

Will dived and rolled out of the way, bringing his rifle to bear and firing on the hulking mass of hydraulics, wires and metal. The rounds found their mark but only managed to dent the back of the cyborg's chassis.

Toadborg turned around and laughed as the rounds bounced off of him, "Did you truly think that was going to work?" He fired his hand at Will. In an instant the cabled hand flew across the room, grabbed the barrel of the assault rifle, and jerked it out of Will's hands as it retracted. He grabbed each end of the weapon and, in a display of raw strength, bent it until it snapped in two, "Too slow, boy," as his other hand rocketed towards Will directly.

With a hard, thunderous, thud, it connected at Will's chest. Had he been wearing a normal suit, he'd be dead. The blow sent him flying, slamming back first into a wall. Will grunted loudly in pain as his back thudded against the wall, and again when he fell to the ground, unable to stop or break his fall.

He laid there for a moment before slowly getting up and drawing his knife, watching as the cabled hands retracted back onto the machine's arms. He took off running at him, bouncing off of one foot to the side as a hand rocketed toward him, narrowly dodging it. The cyborg tried to pound him with an axe blow, but Will was too quick and slid in between his legs, jamming his knife into a hydraulic hose.

He looked back to see Toadborg fall to a knee and he kipped up to this feet, He sprinted toward his now wounded opponent and jumped upon his back, using the cutter to slice a square hole into the dented chassis.

Ass the cut chunk of metal fell of, WIll looked inside. Two brains rested within, linked together via wires and diodes. A mechanical brain, lighting up like a Christmas tree as Toadborg tried futilly to get Will off his back, and an organic one. Will grabbed the mechanical brain and jerked on it.

"What have you done?! I can't see, I can't move!" Toadborg bellowed.

"I've kept my promise, you walking, talking, rust bucket. Now to finish the job," he says as he places the two miniature explosives on the two brains.

" Wait wait wait wait wait. Wait. You don't want to do that. Only I know where you can find Jenny," Toadborg said, desperate and willing to do whatever it meant to stay alive, "If you let me live, I'll tell you."

"You'll tell me and I'll think about it. You've got 3 seconds. 1," Will replied with his finger on the detonator button.

"Let me live and I'll tell you."

"2."

"Alright, alright. She's in the Imperial Interrogation Prison. In the Croaker Sector. You'll find an asteroid mine there."

"Thank you, Toadborg," Will said as he turned to walk away.

"So...So you'll let me live?" Toadborg shakily asked.

"No," Will said as he pressed the button. And with a loud pop, the lights in Toadborg's eyes blinked out. Smoke wafted out the back of him as he fell, lifelessly, onto his face.

With Bucky avenged, Will made it back to the bridge, "Now. To clean house."

"WE SURRENDER, WE SURRENDER!" a toad said over comms. The crew looked at Will.

"All toads are hereby ordered to abandon ship. You have 10 minutes to comply"

Will watched as all of the escape pods jettisoned, "Get skeleton crew over there and take over that ship. As far as the Toads are concerned, leave them here. Either they live, or they die. Alone."

The crew cheered as a few of their fighters landed and docked inside the _Imperius_. The two ships warped out of the area.

"Now. To get Jenny." Will said with more determination and anger than he's ever felt in his life, "I'm coming, baby. Just hold on. I'm coming."


	8. Chapter 8

"Alright, so we're taking our new ship into...Well...Pretty much the heart of enemy territory. If anyone has any objections or doesn't want to go, speak now. Because once we get underway, there's no turning back."

Only one person raised his hand. Will nodded toward him, allowing the young Squirrellian to speak, "Captain. Um. I think I speak for everyone here when I say...Let's get payback."

The bridge burst in cheer. Will couldn't help himself as a smile slowly appeared upon his face, "Well, then let's get our payback. Set course for the Imperial Stockade. Maximum speed when you have it. And put Toadborg's body into to Cargo Bay 3. Blinky, upload into the computer's main hard drive."

Without a response the crew began to follow his orders and prepare for the hardest fight of their lives. Will sat in the captain's chair designed for a cyborg twice his height and well over 4 times his weight, "And someone get me a pillow. This chair's uncomfortable as hell," That was enough to get the crew laughing.

Will spent the next several hours touring the newest addition to the rebellion. Apparently, this ship was designed with very few creature comforts in mind. Even the officers' quarters contained little in the way of decor. It got him wondering why they didn't allow or didn't take anything to remind them of home. Even on his shortest deployment, Will never left without a few heirlooms to remind him of what he was returning to.

"Captain, we're here. And they've got us in a tractor beam," Said a voice over the ship's intercom.

"Understood, I'm on my way. Do not answer any video or audio transmissions. Send text stating the comms relay is damaged," Will responded as he jogged toward the nearest lift. He pressed the button to take him back on the bridge.

He waited a long while as the ship automatically landed in one of the ports.

"Did you honestly think it would be that easy, young DeWitt?" asked a deep sinister voice. One that sent chills up and down Will's spine.

One belonging to the Ruler of the Toad Empire. Komplex.

He swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded for the comms to acknowledge the transmission. With a beep, Komplex's holographic face appeared on the main viewer, "For a second there, yeah. I did. Now where's Jenny?"

Komplex laughed. Everyone on the bridge visibly paled, "You'll see soon enough, human. Surrender now and I won't obliterate the ship with everyone on board. You'll all live out your lives as slaves. But they will not be short."

"Fuck you. If you wanted to blow up the ship, you would've already done it. Where. Is. Jenny?"

"Oh, my dear little DeWitt. You don't understand the gravity of your situation. Toadborg wasn't the captain of that ship. He was the second."

Will furrowed his brow in confusion. The confusion didn't sit on his face long as shock washed over his face as Bruce stepped forward from the shadows. Bruiser roared in outrage.

"TRAITOR!" Bruiser bellowed.

"Maybe. But they pulled me out of the void, Brother. While you didn't do a thing. Now. Surrender. And the lives of everyone on every Alliance planet will be spared. I know where every single one of your bases are."

Will gritted his teeth and grinded his jaw. He knew Bruce wasn't lying or bluffing, "Fuck! Power down the engines."

"Captain?" A young officer looked back at him with shock and fear in his eyes.

"Do it. This is checkmate," he looked up at the two on his viewscreen, wiping a tear from his cheek, "I...I'm sorry guys."

The officer did as he was told. Within seconds, storm toads assaulted the bridge and took everyone prisoner.

Will lowered his head in shame as the shackles came on and he was escorted off the ship and into the brig. This time, it was real.

Somewhere in the rubble of Cargo Bay 3, Toadborg's corpse lays. As its eyes power on and it begins to get up.


	9. Chapter 9

Will and his compatriots were led off the shuttle, one by one. The Toads didn't bother with cuffs. They could see their faces. They were beaten. And they knew it.

"Well, well, well. Little Willy DuWitt isn't so little anymore," Bruce chuckled. He grabbed Will by his arm, "Let's go. Captain."

With that he thrust the saddened human forward. Will stumbled a step but proceeded to walk to his cell, "What's gonna happen to my crew?"

"The good news is that they're going to live. As slaves to the Empire. Bad news is that you won't be joining them. As soon as we scour your ship, we'll be heading back to Toad homeworld. For your. Public. Execution."

Will nodded. At least they'd be reunited with family, he thought. He didn't plan on Bruce returning to the Aniverse. Or that he'd betray the U.A.F. A grave mistake that cost him everything, "Will I get a final request?"

"I'm not completely without honor. Name your request," The cyborg stated as he tilted his head.

"I want to see Jenny. One last time."

"Oh, that'll be easy. She's coming too," Bruce laughed.

"Why is sh-" he started to ask. Then he realized the answer. She was going to die next to him. Pain and anguish washed over his body.

"Oh, come now. You had to know this was how it was going to end. Your one ship against the might of the empire? Don't be ridiculous. And don't be stupid. That'll get you killed before your scheduled date. Just ask O'Hare. Oh wait. You can't."

Bruce laughed in Will's face. Rage began to build up. But Will knew that all it would do was cost him his life.

The rest of the trip was silent. Bruce kicked Will in the back and forced him into a cell, turning the field on.

Will sat on his bed, defeated. He knew it was a long shot, but this? This would cripple the rebellion's morale. Perhaps in a way that it will never heal. The war was actually over with his capture.

Then he heard it. A pair of faint thuds. As if someone very, very, big was walking. His heart raced. IMPOSSIBLE! he thought. There was no way Toad Borg was still alive. None. He was sure of it.

At least until he saw the unmistakeable figure of him. Will visibly paled, "Shit."

"If by 'shit' you mean that you are momumentally defeated, you'd be right. But for the sake of humor, and my own gratification, let's go for a walk," Toad Borg replied.

Toad Borg opened the cell and grabbed Will by his throat. Not enough to choke him, but firm enough where Will wasn't going anywhere. The cybernetic Toad dragged Will down the corridor. As he looked at each cage of his comrades, all of the locks read "Access Granted". They must've been remotely activated by Toad Borg's presence for efficiency's sake.

He dropped Will on the bridge and looked dead at him, "I will give you one final word before I kill you,"

Bruce looked back at Toad Borg, "He's n-"

He was interrupted by a metal spike being fired into his head. Fired from Toad Borg's hand, "I wasn't talking to him."

"TOAD BORG! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Komplex demanded as Toad soldiers pointed their weapons at him.

With each shot of his spike cannon, one of the soldiers fell dead to the ground, "MY! NAME! IS! BLINKY!" A compartment opened in the front chassis and ejected an assault rifle and an ammo vest.

With newfound vigor, Will quickly grabbed the rifle and vest, donning the vest and getting himself ready for the fight of his life, "Blinky? Is that you?"

"Yes, Captain DuWitt. I am remotely controlling this body. So there is no risk of me dying in it."

Will smiled and stood proud of his brave friend, "Then let's go free the others,"

"I already have. They have seized control of the cell bay, and are making their way to engineering."

Will shot up the consoles on the bridge. If it had a button, switch, monitor, or a blinking light, then it received several rounds in it.

Klaxons started blaring throughout the bridge, "Is she here?"

A long pause followed as Blinky's new eyes looked blankly at Will, "Yes. I will lead the way, Captain."

With that, they raced toward Jenny. He sent a mental message stating that he was almost to her.

BANG BANG BANG! Rounds bounced harmlessly off of Blinky's large metallic frame. His, however, found precise and deadly purchase with each soldier that stood in his way, "We do not have much time, Captain. Already, Komplex is attempting to self destruct the ship and transfer himself off of it."

"Wait...He's HERE?!" Will exclaimed, shocked that he was on Komplex's mobile hub. It would explain how he knew who was where, "Jenny first, then we kill that sumbitch. Do we have that kind of time?"

"Barely. If we run."

"Then why aren't we?" Will asked as he started to sprint down the hallway, shooting any and every Toad he saw.

Blinky ran after him, making sure the fallen would stay fallen.

"Where to?"

"There," Blinky pointed at a wall. Then punched it as hard as his newfound body would allow. The hull was little match for Toad Borg's body and easily gave way to a hidden, dark, cell.

"Wi-...Willy?" A quiet voiced asked from the shadows

"I'm here, baby. We've gotta go. Can you walk?"

Jenny's broken form stepped out, "For you? I can fly," she responded, blood caked and matted her fur, but it didn't matter.

"Good. Cuz there's one last thing we gotta take care of. Where to, Blinky?"

The form of Toad Borg towered over the two and Jenny screamed, "That way," Toad Borg's voice stated, pointing in a connecting hallway, "I will need to modify this voice. It is unnerving to speak and it not be my voice which is heard."

"Blin-Blinky?" Jenny asked. Blinky knelt and gave Jenny the gentlest of hugs.

"Guys, you know I'm all about reunions, but if we're gonna end this, now's the time."

The two friends parted and began their race against time, "Blinky, find a way to get a message to the crew and freed prisoners. Get to the Vengeance. Now."

"Relaying message on every lock panel and monitor there," Blinky responded.

The trio ran full speed toward Komplex's main computer.

When they arrived, they were stopped dead in their tracks with Komplex's face glaring at them, "You have ruined EVERYTHING! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!"

"Yup. We. Won," With that, Blinky opened fire on the computers housing the Toad Emperor.

Komplex screamed in pain as explosions started firing off, "We need to leave now. Or we will never leave this ship alive," Blinky picked his two friends up and fired off his jets toward the docking bay, "The ship is ready to leave the second we are on board, Captain,"

"Good. And Blinky, you get game ball."

"What?"

"I'll explain later, brother. If we live that long."

The three raced with detonations hot on their heels. Then the loading ramp of the Vengeance came into view. Blinky reversed thrust to spin him crashing back first into the back wall. The environmental force field blinked on as Will groggily got up and hit the intercom, "GET US OUTTA HERE! FULL THRUST!"

The ship jarred them back to the ground as it took off and blasted through the docking bay doors and away from the exploding ship.

******EPILOGUE******

It's been 2 years since Will and his crew blew up Komplex. With that, the Toad Empire unconditionally surrendered to the U.A.F. With their surrender a peace treaty was signed with them. A new leader was appointed to the Toad Empire, and their military was greatly reduced. Will married Jenny and they spent that time retrofitting the Vengeance with the latest tech, weapons, and defenses, becoming the new flagship of the Federation. Things were finally looking peaceful and bright in the Aniverse.

Somewhere in a secret military compound in Arizona, a monitor flickered on. And through the speakers came a mechanical laughter.

The laughter that belonged to none other than Komplex


End file.
